The Marine Biology of Grand Cayman website says:

“We provide a unique biology experience for students, with a mission to educate young people on the importance and stunning biology of tropical reefs.”

Reef Management Ltd maintains the website that shows many constructive photographs and makes a plea for volunteers.

REEF MANAGEMENT, LTD – MISSION STATEMENT

The goals of Reef Management, Ltd. are as follows:

* To prevent the red lionfish from destroying the natural ecology of selected Caribbean islands

* To use the 100+ years combined scientific, mechanical and diving experience of the Reef Management, Ltd. team to control the lionfish populations on endangered Caribbean islands

* To create the most technologically advanced equipment to remove only the invasive species without disrupting the fragile ecosystems

* To continually seek innovative methods and equipment to eradicate invasive species

* To work collaboratively with governments, the tourism industry, the private sector, and the handicapped community of each island to achieve these goals

* To advance the comprehensive study of the marine life for each reef it manages

* To provide ongoing services to keep the lionfish population as low as possible and allow the natural reef ecosystem to thrive.

Our passion for the Caribbean is our call to action!

Randy Christman – Founder and CEO of Reef Management, Ltd.

Randy Christman, native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1975 and taught industrial science at the high school level for many years while pursuing a passion for marine biology. He became a certified scuba diver in 1975 and went on to become a certified scuba instructor, commercial diver, master instructor and instructor trainer. He also found time to create and run several successful businesses: Over E-Z Dive Center, Incorporated; E-Z rider RV Center, Incorporated; and Marine Engineering and Associates of North St. Paul, Minnesota. As a diver, he has also been safety coordinator for the CBS film The Stranger Within, and has done numerous commercial work for Twin Cities’ television stations and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

In 1992, Randy began bringing high school groups to the Cayman Islands to learn scuba diving and marine biology. For nearly twenty years, Randy has introduced thousands of students from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa to the beauty and splendor of the Caribbean reefs. His desire to take on the menace of the lionfish invasion is reflected in a philosophy he has preached to his students all of his life: “I’ve asked students to make a difference in this world. Now it’s my turn.” This drive to make a difference for the Caribbean is at the heart of Reef Management, Ltd.

Randy is no stranger to the idea of biological intervention to save struggling ecologies. In 1989, his company, Marine Engineering and Associates was contracted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to move 10,000 clams including the rare Higgins eye clam from a construction site on the St. Croix River. Such a feat of ecological transplantation had never been successfully accomplished before. In 1990, Randy and other members of the Raptor Resource Project were instrumental in restoring the peregrine falcon population along the Mississippi River. Expert ornithologists from the University of Minnesota scoffed at the proposal, but Randy and his friends have seen over 300 peregrine falcons fledge in the last 20 years. As a result of their work, the birds are no longer on the Endangered Species List of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Commenting on the skepticism that greeted the falcon project, Randy simply noted that, “I can sit still or step up to the plate. I can’t wait for others to get the job done.” This determination to create change where none is expected is the guiding principle for Randy and all of the members of the Reef Management, Ltd. team.

In addition to his teaching and work, Randy is about to embark on film projects for National Geographic on the Mississippi River with long time friend and award winning nature photographer Neil Rettig. There are also plans for a BBC television series called Flight on the snow geese. Neil Rettig and National Geographic also plan to come to the June, 2013 lionfish hunt on Little Cayman Island. In addition, Pete Romano, Academy Award Winner for his innovations in underwater filming and lighting on such films as The Abyss and Jaws, is joining the Little Cayman project.

Randy resides in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, with his wife, Julie, and several Brittany spaniels, splitting his time between Lake Elmo and the Cayman Islands.

For more on this story and to download many more photographs go to:

http://marinebiograndcayman.tumblr.com/post/53686401357/working-on-our-dive-skills